Fe
by Jorkier
Summary: He didn't know why God seemingly hated him, or why his sister watched this stupid show, or why he was a robot in the first place. All he knew was that he wanted 1) his humanity back, 2) his universe back, and 3) his frickin' sanity. Sadly, the world didn't want the same. Funny how that works.
1. Chapter 1

A/N - I would _like_ to say that this is my first story on here… But it isn't. I'm pretty sure I've got a pretty trashy posted. Not gonna take it down - if you wanna compare my growth go ahead.

I don't own Transformers - _thank God -_ nor will I ever want to. Bay has screwed with the series so much I don't even wanna touch the Bayverse. No thanks. All rights to the Transformers Series belongs to Hasbro.

Dunno where I'm going with this… Whatever, Enjoy!

Fe

By Jorkier

Chapter 1

Normally, he would enjoy the rain.

The small droplets of condensation had been comforting amidst everything - a muttering friend that whispered against his ear with quiet comfort. It was a constant in Seattle, which never failed to calm his soul.

Until now.

He tried to scrunch up the best he could against the park information center, shivering. Not from the cold - no, he could barely feel the chill - but from the creeping panic lingering in the back of his mind.

The familiar sights around him, once his home, were now his cage. The park that had always seemed so crowded that the sudden absence of people jarred his already teetering worldview. He felt naked against the building; exposed. As if, at any second, a jogger would spot him and scream in horror.

The… logical side of his mind - the repressed side - seemed to sense his discomfort. After a few seconds, the suggestion of an 'alternate mode' appeared in his view.

He suddenly jerked backwards into the building, unable to react when he completely fell through the wall, taking the entire side out. His panic reached its peak when the alarm went off, spurring him up and away from the center.

'Hide!' His thoughts repeated this like a mantra, their owner's ey-_optics-_ darting across the open baseball field. He could _hear_ the police getting closer and closer- he had to do _something!_

_**[Scanning for Alternate Mode… Complete.]**_

There, across the street, sitting solemnly in the car parking lot, was a 2002 Dodge Intrepid.

That would work.

_**[Assimilation Process... Complete.]**_

Instantly, his view started to change - as if there was a transparent screen over his optics. Despite his worldview being practically tipped on its head, this felt oddly natural and calmed him down somewhat.

Once the clicking noises stopped, he _moved._ He wasn't sure how fast, but pretty fast, almost veering off the first turn. He didn't know where he was going, but anywhere was better than there.

_Anywhere._

* * *

It was still raining when he pulled over to the small lodge.

"Snoqualmie Falls," greeted him cheerfully from a sign above the building, which probably made it the fall's information booth. No one was inside, something that both comforted and unnerved him. Then again, it did make sense; it was absolutely frigid from what his sensors told-

He cut that thought off and stomped it down.

His tires met gravel as he cautiously went off-road. He could hear the waterfall just beyond the tall rocks. They stood tall like guardians, as if warding him off from the waterfall's beauty. "You shall not pass." He quietly whispered to himself, imitating the great wizard. If it were possible for him, he would have smiled at that.

That 'smile' faded as soon as it arrived, and a rush of emotions rushed him. Longing, hopelessness, and most of all, confusion. '...What in the world am I?'

He wanted his normal life back - the bullying, the hatred, the crime, _all of it_. He wasn't _human_ anymore and he was so, _so confused_.

As if sensing his questioning, the light clicking noise returned, his optic level getting higher and higher. He had to blin-_cycle his optics_\- because of a rain droplet. He didn't quite realize it was still raining.

He didn't want to look down again- he didn't want to know, _except he did because he knew what he was, deep inside-_

Confusion and curiosity won over and he peered down.

Sleek black metal was the first thing he saw, and after some more observation, a silver underbody became apparent. He raised a han-_servo_\- to his face, the silvery metal creating a dull sheen that reflected onto the nearby tree branch. Fascinated, he rotated it slowly, optics locked onto the effect like a moth to light. He flexed them, one finger at a time, bewildered and amazed when the metal bent to his exact commands, never faltering or stuttering once. It was so similar to a human hand, yet so, so very different.

His fee-_pedes_ were the opposite to his servos. They held almost no similarity to human feet except for the general shape of them, being just as black as the rest of his bod-_frame_.

He… he wanted to see his face, to know how it was different to the square-jawed teenager he had once been.

Now several feet taller, it was easy to peer over into the rippling water feeding into the Snoqualmie Falls. It was difficult to see at first, but his brai-_processor_\- was quick to put the image together in an accurate picture of what he looked like. He shuttered his optics in surprise.

His face was… actually quite handsome - or was it beautiful? - at least in comparison to his below average human mug. Soft features looked back up at him, sculpted perfectly to accentuate his sharp yellow optics while at the same time showing off his lips in just the right way. A light blue blush slipped over his copycat's faceplates. Was- was that really him?! It couldn't be!

He slipped a servo into the rippling streams, a sort of childish excitement filling him as the river parted around it. It effectively destroyed his image, but, in all honesty, he couldn't imagine actually having _that_ face. A bit of overactive imagination, he figured, easily ignoring the retort from his logical side that, _**[Optical Sensors: Undamaged. Host: Incorrect.]**_

He splashed a bit longer, even trying to catch a fish by making his silver fing- _digit- _hooked like a fishing line. It didn't work, but it helped to calm his hear- _spark-_ down greatly and let him think for a minute.

All of this confirmed one thing.

He was, indeed, a transformer.

The one series his sister _never shut up about_.

A frown slipped on his reflection's, distorted terribly in the rushing waters of the river. He didn't know how to feel about that. He guess he should be grateful for that, but after all the annoyances she caused because of it-

_**'**__**[Unknown Entity Approaching.]'**_

_That couldn't be good._


	2. Chapter 2

The youth froze visibly before racing to his pedes. He could hear someone coming - _**[Advised action: Leave vicinity immediately].'**_

As soon as his pedes hit the floor, he dashed across the river, battle computer whirling with information.

He could hear the heavy steps - _awfully similar to his own_\- behind him quicken. _**[Warning: Host: pursued by Unknown Entity. Caution advised.]**_

Thoughts rapidly whizzed through his mind at a neck-breaking speed. Every insect that bounced off his frame, every brush that was shredded under-pede, and every sight he saw was seen and put away for later reference somewhere in his mind.

_**[Recording…]**_

His frame was already shifting even as he broke the tree cover, the Intrepid shooting off like a race car over the rough terrain. The model clearly was built for the roads, he thought with a wince as his undercarriage scratched against the ground. The sounds of tiny rocks loudly clinking against his metal could barely cover the sound of his thrumming spark.

The emerging sounds of engines revving only seemed to confirm his suspicions. They were robo- _Cybertronians_.

The whimper escaped him before he could collect what was left of his composure.

Over the hills, as if some god heard his pained cries, were well-maintained homes lining a road, where he knew that he could easily get away. _Freedom_.

So close.

But not close enough.

He howled in pain, the cry dipping into static when something ripped into his side. Something inside him _switched on_ and he transformed. He fumbled as he rolled, trying to use his momentum to face his attackers in a valiant last-ditch effort to survive. His arm clicked repeatedly, transforming into what he immediately knew to be a plasma blaster. The young bot didn't hesitate to lock it onto the vehicles rapidly approaching him.

_**[Weapon warming… Firing in 3...2...1...]**_

"There's no runnin', 'con!"

There was a difference for him, however, between knowing battle and actually experiencing it. He was thrown completely off guard when the green truck transformed and bowled him to the ground. By the time he processed what happened- _**[Analyzing…] **_he was easily immobilized. _**[Compiled and Stored.]**_

The sound he was beginning to find very familiar with echoed before his head. There was the sound of a familiar 'whirl-click-click' that he had heard only moments before.

His energon went cold, his frame locking in place with a jerk. As if tempting fate, he peered up to the sound, only to look into the barrel of a blaster. A weapon, he was fully aware, that could easily end his meager existence with a shot of hot plasma to the helm.

"Don't shoot!" He practically squeeked, optics clamping shut as he weakly struggled against the other mech's unrelenting grip. He had never felt more like a caged and trapped mouse in his entire life. "P-Please please please- oh god!"

**[Threat level: High. Evade and Desist.] **Something _hissed_ in his mind.

"You speak this planet's language?"

He nodded enthusiastically, not even really hearing the question. "Please don't kill me! Please!" His pleas devolved into mindless babble, servoes scratching at his restraints like a rabid dog. "Pleasepleasepleaseplease…" He continued like a mantra, optics starting to well up with tears. He tried to kick the larger mech off him but only succeeded in scaring himself further when the weight didn't budge. A feeling of hopelessness grasped the young bot's spark and refused to let go. '_Caught and trapped like a friggin rat.'_ He thought, not ready for it to all end, '_This is a fitting end for me.'_ Energon seeping down his face, he let his helm go limp.

A tense silence.

When he didn't hear the sizzling of plasma overhead, he peeked open an optic. The gun was still there, but the yellow mech wielding it was looking over somewhere else, a - what he hoped to be - pensive look on his faceplates. The young mech was visibly jarred at the change, slightly pushing back against the arms holding him in place. They tightened and the small black mech whimpered.

"What is your designation, young one?" He had to angle his hea- _helm_\- back to see the speaker, the world going upside-down in the process. Some rain managed to slip into his optic sockets, but really did no damage other than blurring his vision somewhat. The mech spoke… strangely. In clicks. That the youth could understand… somehow? _[__**Integrating language module to Datastream: Cyber-common… Integration: Complete.]**_

"Error." It seemed almost natural to answer in the same language. He didn't even mean to answer at first, but the name - if it could be called a name- just seemed to slip from his tong- _glossa_. Wait, when exactly did he learn their language?

The red and blue mech seemed to frown. Why? That was his designa-

No it wasn't! His name was Error- no, he was Er- _Why couldn't he remember?!_

The yellow mech who had held the blaster was talking with the red and blue one, but the young mech in their captivity didn't notice. No, his thoughts were far away, lost to the stormy clouds, delving into memories to try and at least try to remember his identity before he died.

He remembered his sister, the playground, and the school. Happy, carefree times.

"Error?"

He also remembered the darker times; the bullies, the crime, and the never-ending stack of paperwork strapped to his back. They always made sure he had to redo every assignment by destroying his paperwork, he thought angrily. Those fraggers always tormented him - made him stay after school to clean up _their _mess and getting blamed for things he never did! Then they would beat him. Again and _again, and again, no one to save him except himself again-_

_**[Attack Incoming.]**_

"Hey! Answer Optimus, you fragging 'con!"

His right cheek burned with pain, the mech coming back to reality with a whimper. "_Ow."_ He tried to bring up a servo to ease the damaged part, but the green mech didn't let him. The rain was already providing some relief as it trickled down his cheek. His pedes gave a pained twinge, and he glanced down. They had forced him into a kneeling position. All the better to _slap him_ apparently.

"Arcee, what the scrap?!" The yellow mech that had _pointed a blaster at Error _yelled.

'_Why the frag is HE getting angry?'_

"Shut up, 'Bee!" The blue fema- _femme_\- shouted back, easily held back by a red mech. The hold didn't stop 'Arcee' from glaring heatedly at Error, "He must be one of those fragging slaggers! Everyone else is dead, so he must be!" The last part came out choked with static, blue tears growing at the edges of her optics, "They're gone! **They're all **_**gone!**_" She wailed, jerking out of the mech's grasp.

The red mech's blue optics went wide, weakly letting the femme race off. If the silence before was unsettling, this one was deafening.

No one said anything.

It seemed to stretch on forever until the red mech with horns - looking like a demon on wheels to the distressed youth when he finally noticed them- spoke up with a deep vent, "I'll... go have a talk with her."

The remaining two bots looked up to 'Optimus', who frowned. "Go with them; Error and I will… talk."

The green one spared Error a glance before letting the young black bot go, while the yellow bot wasted no time transforming and driving off. Error couldn't tell the make of the vehicle, nor was it very concerned by it. Not as much as this 'talk' might entail from an _alien_ leader.

Error nervously stretched out his pedes the best he could as he sat while avoiding the mech's optics. He winced as he got a ping from his back, where his door was after transforming into his root form. _**[Main Door Component: Major Damage. Additionally, several minor components require repair.]**_ He hoped that these mechs had a medic of some kind. Turning off his pain sensors for this long couldn't be healthy for him.

'_What exactly is going on?' _The slightly insulted and very scared mech thought nervously. He wanted to go back to his home that was only an hour away. To get away from these strange Cybertronians. Heck, Error would be happy with just a friendly face that wasn't made out of metal. '_Although, more information would be nice.'_

Thankfully, and oddly conveniently, Error's little voice in his helm found the right memory file for the situation.

"_Their civil war tore apart their planet."_

_He frowned, but wanted his sister to go on, "And? So what happened?"_

_A sparkle lit up her eyes. She always was so enthusiastic with her explanations when he bothered to ask, "Team Optimus all went in, like, a spaceship and, like, flew to Earth and stuff! Then they met the government and stuff, I think, and then they meet Miko, Raf, and Jack!" She finished with a shimmering smile that could make the sun burn with jealousy._

_He was curious about one thing, "How did they react to the destruction of their planet?"_

_The 5 year old gave him a confused look, "What do you mean 'react'? They're, like, robots!"_

'_Oh.'_

.

..

...

'_Oh scrap.'_

* * *

_**Been a while!**_

_**First of all, thank you Victorsmyname. I honestly haven't thought about this story in a while, and it was your comment that got me motivated again. And to your comment, that will come later on. ;)**_

_**I brought in the bots! I know it seems a little rushed, but in this timeline Cybertron has just been destroyed and the Autobots have just escaped destruction. Cliff is still alive, and there might even be more additions, but I'm not as familiar with their personalities yet, so they will have to wait. This is a timeline based on Transformer Prime mainly, but I might bring in bots from other stories, plot willing. Transformers: Robots In Disguise does not exist to me, so I will not be writing using it. **_

_**Ideas for the story are more than appreciated because I first started making this story to focus on how someone would react in a new environment. It's become a bit of a fixation for me, and since most human to transformer OC stories are bland and unoriginal (except for a few exceptions like "A Melody of Second Chances" by SecretEnigma, God bless that story.)**_


	3. Chapter 3

'_Their planet is- it's gone… Just- wow.'_ Things were starting to make sense. Deeper inside his processor, his 'logical side' spoke.

_**[Analysis… Incomplete.]**_ If an AI could sound frustrated, this one did, _**[Data: Required.]**_

Error ignored the 'voice' in his head, being too busy proverbially sweating bullets at his realization.

These _very dangerous_ and _very emotional_ sentient alien robots had, essentially, taken him hostage and there was jack all he could do to stop it or get away.

The red and blue mech with an aura of authority - probably that 'Optimus' fellow, but he couldn't be certain - knelt before him, clearly having gotten used to talk to those shorter than him. He spoke in a deep voice that Error would probably have found comforting had it not been on a combat-trained warrior that could easily punt him to the moon if he so wanted. "What is the designation of this planet?"

Error had to take a moment to process exactly what was being said to him and how to properly respond. "You mean Earth?" Error asked in surprise, cycling his optics. At the slight confused tilt of the warrior's helm, Error realized his mistake and said the question again, this time in Cybertronian.

It looked like 'Optimus' was trying the word before he spoke again. "This planet is known as Er-th?"

"Add an 'a' there, big guy." He said quietly to himself, forgetting his situation for a second. When the mech _with combat training_ raised a brow, Error reiterated with a stutter, "P-Pretty much, just add more of an 'ur' sound."

This time Optimus managed to say "Earth" correctly and Error gave a faint ghost of a giggle that died as he reminded himself where he was. It wasn't a good idea to laugh at a guy a good twenty or so feet taller than you.

"Very well, then. What else do you know about this planet?" This mech clearly was the leading officer of this group, as the rest of the group seemed more than trusting in Optimus' abilities by leaving him alone with Error, an unknown factor.

_[__**Warning: Entity has been identified. Chosen of Primus. High Command. Practice caution.] **_"Chosen of Primus", seemed like a religious title almost, and by what his battle computer was telling him, this mech was deserving of respect and fear. His battle computer, as rudimentary as he could use it, was telling him that there were no visible weaknesses to exploit. That fact alone made Error quake in his armor.

And so, Error didn't lie to him. "Quite a bit. I've been here all my li-function, sir." His vocalizer wanted to switch back to English mid-sentence, but his processor caught up before it actually did, "I've never been anywhere else." The mech trailed off with a nervous fizzle of static.

He was starting to get uncomfortable on his knees, so he sat down fully on the ground. It wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world, as his knee joints sloshed into the rising mud and puddles underneath. _**[Reminder: Abstain from threatening postures. Entity Threat Level: High.]**_ '_Sitting is fraggin' threatening? You're kidding me!'_ He mentally groused.

The large red and blue mech looked somewhat surprised. "You have truly never seen Cybertron?" There was a melancholy way to how the leader spoke those words, as if not really processing part of what he said. Maybe it was just the rain's dreary effect on the leader. Maybe because they had just recently lost Cybertron.

Error didn't quite know what to make of it, so he just shook his helm. "No sir."

Optimus gazed down at Error thoughtfully. Before Error had the chance to feel uncomfortable, Optimus stood up. The black mech half expected the leader to offer a helping hand like a human would.

_**[Warning: Caution advised. Distance necessary. Threat Level: High.]**_ Error immediately jerked back his wayward servo and got up on his pedes, also taking a step back if only to satisfy the voice.

The leader was still looking down to Error as he said. "I will be honest with you, youngling, I do not trust you. The Decepticons are numerous and vary in size," He vented lightly. "But you have the necessary skills we will require to contact this planet's government."

_**[Translator: Required.]**_

Yeah, he figured.

"You need a translator, right?" Error would've never thought he would be an Alien Translator when he was human. '_It'll look amazing on my resume.' _The black mech thought bitterly.

'Optimus' - he still didn't know his actual name- gave a pause to think about it before agreeing, "Essentially, yes."

Error gave him a look. "I'm not exactly in a position to say no." He finished, splaying his servos out to the side for emphasis.

Optimus shifted slightly in his armor even as his faceplates were neutral, Error's battle computer noted. _**[Entity: Chosen of Primus. Status: Uneasy.] **_ It seemed almost amused, as if the military leader who took you hostage being uncomfortable was funny.

"I… suppose so." Without any warning, the large mech transformed into what almost seemed like a big-rig, but not quite. It had sharp edges to it that human vehicles simply didn't have. "Please do not try and run. I would prefer not to use violence." Error recognized it as the thinly veiled threat it was and shivered accordingly.

Absolutely aware of how scared and small he was, Error just nodded meekly, shifting back into his vehicle mode. He almost whimpered at the spike of pain that followed. '_Right; I got shot.'_ The thought and injury only enforced the threat. The 'Chosen of Primus' started off back the way the Cybertronians had come from and Error followed a respectful distance behind, though not enough to make it seem like he would run away. Again, rocks and other things pinged and scratched his undercarriage. Some of it even _stuck_. Overall, it felt disgusting for the youth.. He was sure that even if the ground wasn't so muddy he would still be caked in dirt.

He was really starting to hate off-roading.

They had been traveling in relative silence, weaving through trees before Error decided to ask the golden question. "Who are you mechs?"

"We are Autobots." The truck-but-not-really said, as if it explained everything. Well, maybe for him it did, but for a youth that had only stories from his sister, it didn't explain anything.

"So… the good guys?"

The mech said nothing. '_Touchy question then.'_

"...What's your designation? I said mine, so it's kinda only polite to say yours back." He immediately gave himself a mental slap. '_Good manners don't apply to kidnappers!'_

By some miracle, the leader actually entertained him with a response. "Optimus Prime."

Silence again, leaving Error only with the sounds of the rain and bird calls until they reached a clearing. Blinking again, Error realized that it wasn't actually a clearing, but a really long trail of destruction. _**[Analyzing…] **_Scorched and ground-up earth were all that remained in the wake of something _huge_. Nature tried to coat over the damage with puddles, but even this seemed too much to recover from. There was a great crackle of lightning, as if mother nature was mourning over the loss of life.

Error suddenly slammed into the bumper of Optimus. "Ow! What the-"

"What was that light?!" The mech honestly sounded concerned, going so far as to transform and scan the sky, his frame rigid and tense. His optics darted around the open sky and thankfully empty sky.

Error transformed as well, looking at Optimus as if he had grown another helm. "U-um, what do you mean by '_that light'_?" The black bot looked around, not seeing what Optimus was so clearly concerned about, "I don't see any lights-"

Lightning roared once more, striking across the sky with the ferocity of a pouncing wildcat.

"That!" Optimus' rumbling and dignified voice sounded anything but dignified in that moment, something Error was sure he would not hear again in his function.

Realization set in and laughter threatened to spill out his mouth. But, thankfully, Error managed to hold it in, as the leader would definitely not find the situation as amusing as Error did. That urge to laugh instantly died off when Optimus changed his arm into a blaster.

He hurriedly lept to explain. "M-Mr.Optimus, that's 'lightning'. Y-You don't need the, uh, blaster." When Optimus didn't put away his blaster, Error continued. "It's really not needed."

His sister had never told him of an incident where a bot was zapped by lightning before.

Then again, he didn't talk with her much anymore.

**[Threat level: High.]** His internal voice chirped.

"A-ah. Alright then." Optimus paused, faceplates not revealing his thoughts before he transformed and drove on, surprisingly deciding to trust Error on this strange matter. Error was easily able to catch up with his faster and smaller frame, only faltering from the slight pinches of pain from his offlined door sensors.

Error's optica caught sight of a large structure at the end of the blackened path. '_Must be it.'_ The small amount of amusement circling in his circuits moments earlier vanished completely, anxiety quick to take it over. Error had no idea what that _thing_ held, but that blue femme was probably nearby it if that was their base. He didn't want to face her again if she was going to hurt him.

"I-is 'Arcee' there?" He wanted to sound confident, but his vocalizer changed that of its own volition, leaving the question as a meek plea.

Optimus gave a pause before answering. "I… apologize on Arcee's behalf. We have all been under a great deal of stress, but that does not give us the right to yell at another bot for our problems. Arcee herself will most likely come to you herself and apologize - she truly means well, but she, nor anyone else, is quite stable yet," The leader sighed deeply, "...Myself included."

"Ah…" That did not spell good things for Error.

They were quiet until they arrived at their destination.


End file.
